Unitary punch and binder



H. E. FREDERICK 2,898,613

UNITARY PUNCH AND BINDER Aug. 11, 1959 Filed Jan. 7, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I11 m m1: m l l l'l :1 [I

EVEHZTUF Aug. 11, 1959 H. E. FREDERICK UNITARY PUNCH AND BINDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1953 JZYVEZY FE: r zfiwerl' 1 22055, ae

Filed Jan. 7. 1953 H. E. FREDERICK 2,898,613

UNI'I'ARY PUNCH AND BINDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 fir/we VEjkEDE/CK %ff5"s Aug. 11, 1959 H. E. FREDERICK 2,398,613

UNITARY PUNCH AND BINDER Filed Jan. 7, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JETYEHZ 5271- fiGA/P/E izvze/ae United States Patent M UNITARY PUNCH AND BINDER Henry E. Frederick, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to General Binding Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application January 7, 1953, Serial No. 330,001

4 Claims. (Cl. 111) This invention relates to improvements in binding machines and more particularly to machines for binding a stack of sheets with generally circular resilient bookbinding elements having a backbone and resilient curled fingers extending therefrom to be impaled on the sheets of the book to be bound.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a simple and efiicient bookbinding machine for carrying out the operation of punching the sheets to be bound to receive the curled fingers of the binding element and the spreading of the fingers for impaling on the sheets of the book.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and improved binding machine for binding a stack of sheets with a resilient plastic binding element so arranged as to punch the sheets and spread and hold the curled fingers of the binding element for impaling on the punched sheets, the punching and spreading operations all being operated by reverse operation of a single operating lever.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a binding machine opening the curled fingers of a flexible binding element and punching the sheets to impale the fingers thereon, suitable for use by those inexperienced in 'bookbinding, and arranged with a View toward utmost compactness and simplicity in operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a light weight, compact, portable binding machine arranged to perforate a stack of sheets with rectangular perforations for impaling on the curled fingers of a binding element, and to spread or open the fingers of the binding element and hold them in position to be impaled through the perforations of the sheets, all of the operations of which are carried out by operation of a single reversely movable hand lever.

Still another object of my invention is to provide abinding machine for binding a stack of sheets with a bookbinding element having a backbone and resilient curled fingers, for impaling through the perforations of the sheets to be bound, so arranged as to punch the sheets forimpaling by the binding element by movement of a single hand lever in one direction and to spread the fingers of the binding element for impaling on the sheets by movement of the hand lever in an opposite direction.

Still another and more detailed object of my invention is to provide a machine for binding a stack of sheets with a bookbinding element having a backbone and re silient curled fingers for impaling on the sheets, wherein a plurality of punches are provided for perforating the sheets to receive the curled fingers, and spreading fingers are provided for movement laterally into engagement with the curled fingers of the binding element and along the fingers for uncurling the same, and wherein the punches and spreading fingers are alternately operated by the use of a single shaft and operating lever therefor.

These and other objects of my invention will appear 2,898,613 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a binding machine constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the machine shown in Figure 1 substantially along line IIII;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along line VV of Figure 1 showing the cam for longitudinally moving the spreading fingers of the machine;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view showing the mounting of the operating lever in the machine frame, and the cams for moving the binding arm laterally of the machine frame; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the binding fingers in the operation of spreading the binding element.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown a binding machine 10 having a base plate 11 having a relatively flat forward end portion, along which the sheets to be punched may be slid, and having a slot 12 extending transversely thereof along which may be adjustably moved a paper aligning gauge 13. The gauge 13 may be adjustably held in position in the slot 12 by a thumb screw 14 which may be threaded within a retainer (not shown) engaging the undersurface of the base plate 11 in a Well known manner, so have not herein been shown or described.

The slot 12 may have a scale extending therealong which may be calibrated in inches and may also have spaced marks thereon indicating the depth at which the punches should be from the rear edge of the stack of sheets. The scale is no part of my present invention so is not herein shown or described in detail.

The base plate 10 is also provided with a cover 15, shown as having a sloping top 16, side walls 17 and 18, a forward end wall 19 and a rear end wall 20. The cover 15 serves as a housing for the punches and spreader fingers, for uncurling the curled fingers of the binding element and is shown as having a boss 20 extending from the side wall 18, for rotatably receiving a shaft 21 having an operating handle 22 secured thereto, as by a pin 23.

The front wall 19 and forward end portions of the side Walls 17 and 18 terminate in vertically spaced relation with respect to the top of the base 11, to form a slot to accommodate the sheets of a stack of sheets to be which the punches 26, 26 move.

gram time to time as the following specification proceeds moved thereunder, and be rectangularly punched as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a die plate 24, having rectangular die apertures 25, 25 extending: vertically therethrough is recessed within the base plate 11 in registry with the sheet receiving slot and inwardly of the front wall 19, for cooperation with a plurality of rectangular punches 26, 26 vertically guided in a die holder and stripper 29.

The die holder and stripper 29 is shown as including a stripper plate 30 mounted on and spaced above the base plate 11 by a spacer 31. Said stripper plate is provided with a plurality of rectangular apertures registering with the rectangular die apertures 25, 25 through A spacer block 33 is mounted on the stripper plate 30 and has a guide plate 34 secured to its upper end, and apertured to slid-ably receive and guide the punches 26, 26. The punches 26, 26 are biased in a retracted position with respect to the stripper plate 30 and die plate 24 by means of individual com;

pression springs 35, 35. One of said springs encircles each punch and is interposed between the top of the stripper plate 30 and pin 36 extending through the punch 26.

A rocking. pressure bar 37 is provided to rectilinearly move the punches 26, 26 through the die apertures 25, 2 -to perforate'a stack of sheets. As herein shown, the pressure bar 37 is pivotally mounted on the upper end of a rocking link 39 on a pivot pin 40. Each link 39 is shown as being pivoted adjacent its lower end on an upright bracket or wall 41 extending upwardly from the base 11. A pivot pin 43 extending through said bracket and lower end of said link is provided to form a pivotal mounting for said link. The rocking pressure bar 37 is rocked by a rocking arm 44 mounted on the pivot pin 40 inwardly of the rocking arm 39 and recessed in the end of said pressure bar. A connecting link 43 is pivoted to the lower end of the rocking arm 44 on a pivot pin 46. Said connecting link is pivoted at its opposite end to a crank pin 50 extending outwardly from a cam 47 for binding arm 49. The opposite link 45 is pivoted to a similar cam 51 on a crank pin 52.

The cams 4'7 and 51 and crank pins 50 and 52 are shown as being mounted on and rocked by a transverse rock shaft 53, rotatably mounted adjacent its ends in the upright support bracket or walls 41, 41 and operated by the shaft 21 and operating handle 22.

The pressure bar 37 has a forwardly facing shouldered recess 55 therein having an inner upper arcuate engaging surface, engageable with rounded upper end portions 57, 57 of the punches 26, 26. As herein shown, when the punches are in the extended position shown in Figure 2, the upper wall of the recess 55 extends generally horizontally while a rear wall 59 thereof extends vertically. Upon rocking movement of the rocking arms 44, 44, effected by rocking of the cam shaft 53, and crank pins 50 and 52 in a clockwise direction, the rocking pressure arm 37 will be rocked in a similar direction and pivot about its point of engagement with the tops of the punches 26, 26 and also tend to rock the arm 39 in a counterclockwise direction and exert a vertical component of force on the punches 26, 26, and move said punches through the guide plate 34, stripper 30 into engagement with the stack of sheets and die apertures 25, 25, to pierce the sheets with rectangular apertures, to fit the binding elements. It should here be noted that the link or rocking arm 39 is provided to provide in effect a lost motion connection to the rocking bar 37 and control rocking movement thereof and accommodate said rocking bar to pivot about the arcuate upper surfaces of the punch 26, 26 and engage said punches with a vertical component of force and freely operate said punches.

The shaft 53 is shown as being connected with the shaft 21 to be pivoted thereby, through a tongue and slot connection 60. As shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, a collar 61 is secured to the shaft 21 as by a pin 62. The collar 61 is shown as encircling the end portion of the shaft 53 and as being recessed within the support wall 41. The tongue and slot connection is shown as being yieldably held in engagement by means of a compression spring 63, encircling the shaft 21 within the boss 20 and abutting the collar 61 at one end and an end plate 64 for the boss at its opposite end. The connection is thus normally made between the shafts 21 and 53, but may be released by pulling the handle 21 outwardly against the compression spring 63, and turning the shaft 21 to disengage the tongue and slot connection and thus accommodate the handle to lie along the base 11, when it is desired to store the apparatus.

The cover or housing 15 is shown as having a rectangular opening 65 in its top surface 16 covered by a slotted plate 66 having a plurality of generally L-shaped slots 67, 67 extending therealong.

' The top surface 16 of the cover 15, at the rear end of the rectangular opening 65 has a depending wall 69 extending inwardly of the top of said cover, to which is secured a comb 70 having a plurality of laterally spaced teeth 71, 71 extending upwardly therefrom through the slots 67, 67 in the plate 66. As herein shown, the comb 70 has one more tooth than slots 67, 67. This additional tooth is shown as extending upwardly through a rectangular opening 72 in the cover plate 66, and spaced laterally from an end slot 67. The teeth 71, 71 are provided to engage the backbone of a binding element 75, between the curled fingers or rings 76, 76 thereof and hold the binding element for spreading. A ring 76 is positioned between each two teeth 71, 71 and the ends of the backbone of the binding element rest on the extreme outer teeth 71, 71, while the spaces between the teeth 71, 71 of the backbone rest on and engage the intermediate teeth 71, 71. The binding element 75 is thus in position for spreading when the backbone thereof is engaged with the teeth 71, 71, as shown.

The rings or curled fingers 76, 76 of the binding ele-, ment are open or spread by means of spreader fingers 77, 77, extending upwardly from a finger plate 79 secured to and extending upwardly from the binding arm 49. The binding arm 49 is shown as being mounted on a transverse shaft 80 for rocking movement thereabout and for slidable movement therealong. The shaft 80 is shown as being secured at its ends in the brackets or walls 41, 41 upwardly from the base plate 11. The spreading fingers 77, 77 are shown as each having hooked or laterally extending end portions 81 which are movable laterally of the plate 66 along the bases of the L-shaped slots 67, 67 to extend Within the rings or curled fingers 76, 76 of the binding element, upon movement of the binding arm 49 along the shaft 80 in a direction shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6 as being toward the right. When said hooked ends 81, 81 are entirely within the curled fingers 76, 76 the fingers 77, 77 are in position to move along the legs of the slots 67, 67. Pivotal movement of the binding arm 49 in a clockwise direction will then move the fingers 77, 77 downwardly along the slots 67, 67 to uncurl the binding elements.

The binding arm 49 is shown as being biased into engagement with the comb 70 by means of a torsion spring 83 encircling the shaft 80 and engaging a plate 84 extending along the top of the base 11 and connecting the walls 41, 41 together. The opposite end of the torsion spring 83 is shown as engaging the forward face of the binding arm 49 to bias said binding arm in the upright position shown in Figure 5.

The binding arm 49 is pivoted downwardly to uncurl the fingers 76, 76 of the binding element by means of a cam 85 mounted on the rock shaft 53 intermediate the ends thereof. The cam 85 is shown as engaging a curved bearing surface 86 punched inwardly from the arm 49. The cam 85 may be pinned to the shaft 53 and is shown as having a uniformly rounded engaging surface terminating into a leg 89, having a rectilinear cam surface extending therealong. Upon rotation of the shaft 53 in a counterclockwise direction and when the leg 89 comes into engagement with the bearing surface 86 the rectilinear cam surface thereof wil pivot the binding arm 49 and binding fingers 77, 77 downwardly along the legs of the L-shaped slots 67, 67.

The cam 85 likewise has a leg 90 extending at right angles with respect to the leg 89, engageable with a stop 91 to limit movement of the spreading fingers 77, 77 along the slots 67, 67. The stop 91 is shown as being a knurled headed screw threaded within the base 84 and locked in position as by a lock nut 92. The height of the stop 91 may thus be adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the binding element to be used, to stop uncurling movement of the spreading fingers at the proper distance, to hold the rings or fingers of the binding element with the end thereof upturned as shown in Figure 7, to be impaled through the punched sheets to bind the same. The stop 91 thus prevents the fingers 77, 77 from uncurling the binding elements too far or from moving beyond the end of the binding element and allowing the curled fingers of the binding elements to snap back into their curled form.

The binding arm 49 is movedlaterally toward the right along the shaft 80 against a spring 95, by means of the cam 47 and is returned by the cam 51. As herein shown thetwo cams 47 and 51 are of a similar construction, except they are oppositely arranged. That is, the cam 47 is arranged to move the binding arm 49 along the shaft 80th the right upon the turning of the shaft 53 in a counterclockwise direction, while the cam '51 is provided to move the fingers 77, 77 to the left, out of engagement with the rings of the binding element upon return movement of the shaft 53. The spring 95 in addition to aiding in the return of the binding arm 49 may also take up any back lash between the earns 47 and 51, and the binding arm 49.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the binding arm 49 has flanged portions 97, 97 extending forwardly of the body thereof which are roekingly mounted on the shaft 80. The right hand flanged portion 97 is shown as having the spring 95 extending therethrough to return the binding arm 49 in cooperation with the cam 51. The cam 47 is shown as having an inwardly turned flange 99 engageable with the side and back portion of the binding arm 49 at the point where the flange 97 extends inwardly therefrom. The flange of the cam 99 is shown as having an inclined entering end 100, leading to the edge of the flange thereof. Thus upon the turning of the shaft 53 in a counterclockwise direction the inclined surface 100 in the flange 99 Will engage the outer face of the flange 97 and effect movement of the binding arm '49 to the right against the spring 95; The cam 51 is similar to the cam 49 and has an engaging flange 101, engaging the outer face of the flange 97 of the binding arm 49 and having an inclined entering face 102 for moving the binding arm 49 to the left with the compression spring 95, upon turning of the shaft 53 in a clockwise direction.

The cam 51 is shown as having a serrated outer peripheral edge 103 engaged by an engaging edge 104 of a leaf spring 105, and forming a brake, to stop downward movement of the binding arm 49 and the fingers 77, 77, when the hand is removed from the hand lever 22. The leaf spring 105 is shown as extending angularly upwardly from the cross bar 84 from a point spaced outwardly from the rear edge thereof in a forwardly and upwardly inclined direction into engagement with the serrated edge 103 of the cam 51. Said spring also has a generally flat base 106 secured to the plate 84 as by a nut and bolt 107.

In binding a stack of sheets, the stack is first engaged with a back gauge 108, inwardly of the forward opening slot in the cover 15. The hand lever 22 is then moved forwardly and downwardly in a clockwise direction, to pivot the rockable pressure bar 37 downwardly about the curved upper end portions 57, 57 of the punches 26, 25 and press said punches downwardly in a straight line path to pierce the sheets of paper.

Where the sheets are long enough to require a series of punching operations the pierced apertures of the sheets may be engaged with two spacer pins 109, 109, to proper- 1:; space the sheets for the next punching operation, it being understood that there may be various spacings between the rings and the purpose of the locating pins 109, 109 is to provide uniformity in spacing. Where it is desired to have a continuous row of apertures along the back edge of the stack of sheets to be bound, the two pins 109, 109 may be passed through the last two apertures in the sheets from the end.

When the sheets have been punched in the desired manner, as just described, the binding elements 75, 7 5 in position on the teeth 71, 71 of the comb 70 with the backbone lying along said teeth and rings or curled fingers 76, 76 extending forwardly therefrom, the operating handle 22 is then turned in a counterclockwise direction. This 6 will engage the inclined camming surface 100 .of the cam 49 with the edge of the flange 97, and move the binding arm 49 to the right to extend the hooked ends 81, 81 of the fingers 77, 77 within the rings of the binding element. Upon continued movement of the hand lever 22 in the same direction, the rectilinear camming surface of the leg.

89 of the cam 85 will next come into engagement with the curved bearing surface 86 of the binding arm 49 and pivot said binding arm in a clockwise direction and the fingers 77, 77 along the legs of the slots 67, 67 to uncurl the binding fingers or rings 76, 7 6 in an obvious manner until the leg 90 engages the stop 91. The pierced sheets may then be impaled on the rings of the binding-element, it being understood that if the hand should be momentarily removed from the hand lever 22 the spring engaging the serrated surface 103 of the cam 51 will retard uncurling of the binding rings 76, 7 6.

When the binding rings are impaled on the sheets, the hand lever 22 may be moved in a counterclockwise direction, to accommodate the spring '83 to bias the binding arm 49 into engagement with the comb 70, and upon engagement of said binding arm with said comb the camming surface 102 of the cam 51 will come into engagement with the right hand flange 97 of said binding arm and move said binding arm to the left and return the fingers along the base of the L-shaped slot 67 to the position shown in Figures 1 and 3, in position to open the next binding element.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a binding machine, a frame, a casing mounted on said frame and having front and rear walls and a top wall extending along said frame, an upright comb mount? ed on said casing and having teeth extending upwardly from said top wall, a plurality of slots in said top wall extending laterally along the teeth of said comb and longitudinally thereof, a plurality of spreading fingers having hooked ends extending laterally of said teeth and movable therealong and longitudinally thereof, a binding arm for laterally and longitudinally moving said spreading, fingers, a shaft on said casing extending transversely thereof having said binding arm mounted thereon for movement therealong and for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and means for moving said binding arm and spreading fingers laterally of said casing and then longitudinally away from said comb along said slots comprising a cam shaft, a lever for operating said cam shaft, spring means engaging said binding arm and biasing said binding arm against said comb, a cam on said cam shaft engaging one side of said binding arm for moving said binding arm laterally upon rotation of said cam in one direction and another cam on said cam shaft having a camming surface engaging the back of said binding arm when moved to its laterally extended position for moving said binding arm and spreader fingers longitudinally of said casing upon continued movement of said cam shaft in the same direction.

2. In a binding machine, a frame, a casing mounted on said frame and having front and rear walls and a top wall extending along said frame, an upright comb mounted on said casing and having teeth extending upwardly from said top wall, a plurality of slots in said top wall extending laterally along the teeth of said comb and longitudinally thereof, a plurality of spreading fingers having hooked ends extending laterally of said teeth and movable therealong and longitudinally thereof, a binding arm for laterally and longitudinally moving said spreading fingers, a shaft on said casing extending transversely thereof having said binding arm mounted thereon for movement therealong and for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and means for moving said binding arm and spreading fingers laterally of said casing and then longitudinally away from said comb along said slots comprising a cam shaft, a lever for operating said cam shaft, spring means engaging said binding arm and biasing said binding arm against said comb, a cam on said cam shaft engaging one side of said binding arm for moving said binding arm laterally'upon rotation of said cam in one direction and another cam on said cam shaft having a camming surface engaging the back of said binding arm when moved to its laterally extended position for moving said binding arm and spreader fingers longitudinally of said casing upon continued movement of said cam shaft in the same direction, and another cam on said cam shaft engaging the opposite side of said binding arm from said first mentioned cam for returning said spreading fingers along the lateral portions of said slots into registry with the teeth of said comb upon movement of said cam shaft in an opposite direction.

3. In a binding machine, a frame, a casing mounted on said frame and having front and rear walls and a top wall extending along said frame, an upright comb mounted on said casing and having teeth extending upwardly from said top wall, a plurality of slots in said top wall extending laterally along the teeth of said comb and longitudinally thereof, a plurality of spreading fingers having hooked ends extending laterally of said teeth and movable therealong and longitudinally thereof, a binding arm for laterally and longitudinally moving said spreading fingers, a shaft on said casing extending transversely thereof having said binding arm mounted thereon for movement therealong and for pivotal movement with respect thereto, and means for moving said binding arm and spreading fingers laterally of said casing and then longitudinally away from said comb along said slots comprising a cam shaft, a lever for operating said shaft, spring means engaging said binding arm and biasing said binding arm against said comb, a cam on said cam shaft engageable with one side of said binding arm for moving said binding arm laterally upon rotation of said cam in one direction and another shaft cam on said shaft having a camming surface engaging the baclc of said binding arm when moved to its laterally extended position for moving said binding arm and spreader fingers longitudinally of said casing upon continued movement of said cam shaft in the same direction, another cam on said cam shaft engaging the opposite side of said binding arm from said first mentioned cam for returning said spreading fingers along the lateral portions of said slots into registry with the teeth of said comb upon movement of said cam shaft in an opposite direction, and a spring yieldably engaging said last mentioned cam and forming a yieldable brake for said cam shaft.

4. In a binding machine, a frame, a casing mounted on said frame and having a top spaced vertically from said frame, an upright comb mounted on said casing and having spaced teeth extending upwardly from said top, a plurality of slots in said top extending laterally along said teeth and longitudinally thereof, a plurality of spreading fingers having hooked ends extending laterally of said teeth, a binding arm pivotally mounted within said casing for movement about an axis extending transversely of said casing and for movement laterally of said casing and comb and having said spreading fingers projecting upwardly therefrom through said slots in said top, and means for moving said spreading fingers laterally of said slots and then longitudinally therealong in a direction away from said comb comprising a cam shaft, a lever for operating said cam shaft, means yieldably biasing said binding arm and fingers toward said comb, a cam on said cam shaft for moving said binding arm laterally upon rotation of said cam in one direction, and another cam on said cam shaft for moving said binding arm longitudinally of said casing upon continued movement of said cam shaft in the same direction. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,062,753 Woodley May 27, 1913 1,409,742 Ling Mar. 14, 1922 2,334,815 Emmer Nov. 23, 1943 2,593,805 Spinner Apr. 22, 1952 2,603,801 Emmer July 22, 1952 2,638,986 Emmer May 19, 1953 

